The EU, Regional Conflicts and the Promotion of Regional Integration: Setting The Framework of Analysis

This paper sets out the theoretical framework of the Regioconf project, with the final goal of analyzing the conditions under which the promotion of regional integration by the EU has contributed to the transformation of regional conflicts. The next section defines regional conflicts. The third section engages with the broader peace and conflict literature dealing with the impact of regional integration on regional conflict transformation. The fourth section sets out the analytical framework in order to determine whether conflict transformation has occured as a result of regional integration, under what conditions this has taken place and how patterns of success/failure of the EU strategy can be accounted for across different world regions.

Paper prepared within the framework of the project "RegioConf - The EU, Regional Conflicts and the Promotion of Regional Cooperation: A Successful Strategy for a Global Challenge?". A draft version of this paper was presented at the Panel "Model Europe? The European Union, Conflict Transformation and the Diffusion of Regionalism" at the International Studies Association (ISA) Convention in San Francisco, 3-6 April 2013.